Day 9 - Siena - Florence

            Eric and I got up early to get a pastry and another excellent hot chocolate.  Katie and John got up early and took a run.  After our pastry breakfast we headed to the Pinacoteca Museum by ourselves for a quick look.  The art was mostly early Christian Byzantine art from 12^th – 15^th centuries.  It was enjoyable, but only needed a quick visit.  By 10:00 we met our group at the Campo in front of the tower, and what has become to be the normal, Sara (or could have been anyone else) showed up with morning pastries and treats for everyone to try.  I love trying all this new food.  It’s an equally enjoyable part of our Italian vacation.  We climbed the tower (without Jeff) to a great over look of the city. 

The top of the Civic Center Tower

Siena is a very quintessential, Italian looking city.  After going up the tower at the Campo, we headed over to the Duomo di Siena.  It’s a very pretty church, the piazza out front is small and not nearly a gathering place like the campo.  The marble is the same white and dark green marble that we saw in Orvieto and what we will see in Florence.  In this particular cathedral, the striped stone is on both the inside and the outside of the church.  .  It does catch you off guard to walk into the striped interior of the church.  The art in the church was interesting; including a Michelangelo sculpture paired with sculptures of other artists.  The Michelangelo stuck out as superior even to the untrained eye.  As we left the church and entered the Duomo Museum it was interesting to see what would have been an extension of the nave.  It looks almost like a false wall extending out into the piazza. Down the steps we entered the baptistery and enjoyed the frescos on the wall. 

            After our Duomo visit in the morning, we found a quick pizza for lunch and enjoyed it sitting in the sun on the campo ground, just like everyone else.  As if we were sitting on the beach or on the grass at a park.  We decided to take the quicker, express bus to Florence so we grabbed our luggage and started the climb to the bus stop.  Gratefully we found the right bus at the right stop and enjoyed a comfortable 1 hour ride to Florence.  

         

            We arrived in Florence mid-day which was nice and checked into our very cute Hotel Pucci Residencia.  Katie and John scored the upstairs honeymoon suit with tons of room.  Since the breakfast area was crowded, we enjoyed breakfasting in John and Katie’s room each morning, which unfortunately made them feel like they had to make the bed each day.  Even though we didn’t score the honeymoon suit, our room was very nice and comfortable.  After getting our 3 day Florence museum card we headed to the Medici Palace right across the street.  After the Medici Palace we went to the Academia to see Michelangelo’s David. 

Even though I’ve seen the David before the magnitude and immensity of the statue still caught me off guard.  It was mesmerizing, I just wanted to sit and stare at him.  I can only imagine what the Florentine’s thought when the statue was wheeled through the streets of Florence to the Piazza Signore where the statue had it’s first home.  We also enjoy Michelangelo’s prisoners that line the hallway leading up to the David.

            After our museum visits we relaxed in the open air market, finding souvenirs for ourselves and our kids.  Dinner was a fun, family owned restaurant with an energetic waiter.  We enjoy our first oso bucco here.  After dinner we sauntered back to our hotel which was only a block from the Duomo.  We found a gelataria with some tables on the street and enjoyed our gelato, talking in the shadow of the Duomo.